UK arms export policy criticised

UK arms export policy criticised

Wednesday 25 July 2007 18.55 EDT
First published on Wednesday 25 July 2007 18.55 EDT

The government has approved arms exports to 19 of the 20 countries it has identified as "countries of concern" for abusing human rights, according to the annual report on its weapons exports released yesterday. They include Saudi Arabia, Israel, Colombia, China and Russia.

"It's hard to see how this squares with the messages from the new foreign secretary that the UK should be a 'force for good'," said Roy Isbister, of Saferworld, an independent research organisation.

The report also reveals that during 2006 the UK authorised the export of more than 15,000 sniper rifles to countries including Pakistan, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Saferworld said the exports to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey were of concern because the UK has no way of finding out where the weapons end up.

Export licences approved included components for military aircraft and tanks for China, heavy machine guns for Colombia, and components for combat aircraft and armoured vehicles for Russia.

They also included the sale of components for combat aircraft, electronic warfare equipment, helicopters, military aircraft cockpit displays, unmanned vehicles and anti-armour missiles for Israel. The FO says in its annual human rights report that "progress on improving the human rights situation" in Israel and the occupied territories has been "limited".

A Whitehall official said the government takes into account whether arms were likely to be used for internal repression or external aggression.